Slaughtering device



E. KREFT l July 3, 1928. 1,675,856

SLAUGHTERING DEVI CE Filed July 15, 1925 EVVALD KR EFT,

Invenor Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES i N 1,675,856 PATENT OFFICE.

EWALD KREFT, 0F ST. LOUIS,` MISSOURI, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-SIXTH TO' RICHARD HOELLER, ONE-SIXTH T0 FRED L, WERNER, ONE-SIXTH T0 FERDINAND SCHIN- DLER, ONE-SIXTH TO FRANK AMISHAENSEL, AND ONE-SIXTH T0 LOUIS NEU- DECKER, ALL OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SLAUGHTERING DEVICE.

Application filed July 15, 1925. Serial No. 43,691.

My invention relates to improvements in a slaughtering device and more particularly to means for killing and removing the blood from animals in slaughter houses and the like, and has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described, which shall be simple, convenient, reliable, and eicient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a slaughtering device wherein the blood will be rapidly withdrawn from the animals through the use of a Vhollow knife connected to vacuum or suction means and wherein the points at which the withdrawal is made will be as close to the point of penetration as it is possible to make it.

Another object of my invention is to provide a slaughtering device which shall be extremely light in weight, sturdy in construction, alll of the parts of the device being quickly and readily removable or detachable so thatthese parts may be taken apart for, cleaning, inspection, or renewal, with a minimum loss of time.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus and method of removing the blood through said knife, wherein the suction will be maintained substantially constant and uniform without dropping, so that all of the blood will be removed at a rapid rate with little or no likelihood of the blood becoming clotted during the process of removal.

` Many objects and advantages of the method and construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, p

Figure I is a top plan view of the device, the auxiliary holding blades being shown in their inoperative position;

Figure II is a longitudinal cross-sectional View, taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure I, but showing they auxiliary blades in their extended or operative position;

Figure III is a front view of the knife proper; and

Figure IV is a diagrammatic view showing the apparatus for transferring the blood through the knife and holder to the container.v

In the drawings, wherein I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the usual slaughter-house equipment including the drive-way, knocking' pens, sticking rails, racks, etc., has not been shown, as they do not form a part of my invention.

ln the methods of killing now employed in practically all of the slaughter-houses, the cattle are first stunned and then bled, while sheep and hogs are bled without stunning. The blood drains from the animals by gravity, falling to the killing floor, and then runs through the various open or closed pipes and conduits to the storage tanks. It is obvious that with such methods, the blood will become diluted with the water of the washing hose, and dust, dirt and other' foreign matter' `is apt to enter into the blood in the open conduits, and before this blood can be used for fertilizing purposes or for any other use, this foreign matter and dilution must be taken care of. Inv addition to the above, there is a large loss from incomplete bleeding, which results not only in a direct loss of the blood itself, but in a decrease in the value of the meat also.

In my improved apparatus there is no dilution of the blood, nor can any impurities enter thereinto, and any clotting and incomplete removal is practically obviated.

In Figures I, II and III of the drawings, I have shown the preferred embodiment of my slaughtering device, the same comprising the knife proper, A, and the carrying parts therefor, the latter being designated generally by the reference character B. The knife A is preferably made of steel, in the shape shown, the same comprising a hollow, bayonet type of knife, preferably of triangular cross-section, and having three faces 1 as shown, these faces being tapered from the tip to the rear end 3, and each of these faces being slightly concaved and hollowground as shown more clearly in Figure III. Each of the faces l is provided with a longitudinally extending aperture 4 therein,

these apertures leading inwardly through the knife and connecting with the hollow opening 5. A threaded extension 6 projects rearwardly' vfrom the rear wall 3 of the knife.

A hollow bushing 8, preferably made of aluminum, is provided at one end with interior screw-threads engaging with the exterior screw-threads of the extension 6 of the knife, said bushing being reduced or tapered toward its forward end as at 9, said taper being preferably `at an angle of approximately 25 degreesr to the longitudinal axis of the bushing. The other end of the bushing .is vprovided withr a radially, outwardly extending collar or flange l0, the same being preferably screw-threaded ony its exterior. The bushing is also provided with diametrically opposed longitudinally extending openings 11 through the wall thereof fora purpose to be more clearly hereinafter described. Adjacent to the forward end of the bushingare a number of circumferentially spaced openings 12, the same acting in conjunction with Athe main openings Llof the .knife,'as will he shown.

A sleeve 13, preferably of a light-weight material such as aluminum, is slidably mounted upon the bushing 8, said sleeve being provided4 with an enlarged radial collar 14 intermediate the ends of the same, the

forward side wall of said collar being con-- cavely ground or recessed as at 15 care being taken that this recess is not too much concave, for in the latter event the collar would not lit up snugly against the neck of the animal. f Y

A pair of auxiliary blades 16 are pivotally connected tothe forward end of ,the sleeve 13, these knives being adapted to swing or pivot about an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, as shown. i

Various methods of mounting theseblades may be used, and in the drawing they are shown as mounted upon pins 17 connected to the sleeve. A pair of links 18, each having one end pivotally connected to and straddling one of the blades 16 are pivoted at their other end to a pin 20 extending parallel to the pin 17, the pin 20 being fixed to the bushing 8. The links 18 may be of any suitable materialand I have found it desirable to make the same of steel wire approximately 19- of an inch in diameter, the ends of the same that engage upon the pin 20 being enlarged so as to form better bearing surfaces upon the pin. These lastmentioned ends may be formed in the shape of a hinge wherein one of the ends lies between spaced ears of the end of the other link. It is obvious that as the parts 8 and 13 are slid relatively to one another longitudinally, the blades 16 will be swung about their pivots 17, said links and blades being movable through the slots 11 hereinbefore mentioned.

A hollow casing or outer bushing 2l,

preferably of aluminum, has its interior 22 provided with screwthreads adapted to cooperatewith'the threaded flange 10 of the bushing 8 and hold the latter in fixed relation thereto. In order to limit the longitudinal sliding movement between the sleeve and bushing, I have formed a keyway 24 in the sleeve 13, adapted to be engaged by a pin or key 25 extending radially through the bushing 21. The outer surface of the casing is intended to be gripped by the workman and hence I have thought it desirable to shape the same so as to lit the hand, as shown, andin addition thereto the exterior surface is somewhat roughened in any suitable manner. A nipple 2G is adapted to be connected to the rear end ol' the bushing 21, whereby the same may be connected to a suitable suction or vacuum hose.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the knife A is inserted into the neck of an animal with the collar il up tightly against the outer surface of said neck, and the auxiliary blades 16 extended to the position shown in Figure Il, the suction through said device will cause the blood to be quicl-:ly*withdrawn through the main openings 4, the surplus blood going through the auxiliary openings 12, the vacuum Acausing the collar 14 to be pushed tightly and snugly against the side of the throat of the animal. The distance between the tip of the knife and the collar 1l is such that the collar will stop insertion :it such a point as to cause the incision to be made by the tip at the inner arteries of the animal, the collar fitting tightly against they rounded neck of the animal, due to the proper coneavity of said collar, and insurlng erfect suction so as to draw practically all of the blood from the. animal.

The slope or taper of the forward part 9 of the bushing is such that the wound will be enlarged gradually toward the collar during insert-ion. The auxiliary blades 1G loep the wound open and the suction through the main openings 4 is applied as close as possible to the point of penetration. There will be no tendency for the iiesh to draw in at the openings el and 12, as these openings, although of the desired carrying capacity, are elongated. The auxiliary openings 12 are placed fairly close to the point of penetration and are intended to take up the surplus blood by gavity as well as suction.

Frcm'ithe foregoing description, Ait will be seen that by bleeding animals with my improved device, all of the blood will be withdrawn close to the point of penetration.v thus minimizing delay during the time of l (lt) lll) valve 29, may be conducted behind the sleeve 13, as shown in Figures I and II, the sleeve being movable relative to the inner and outer bushings so as to act as a piston. One or more grooves 30 may be provided about the periphery of the sleeve 13, in the well known manner. It is obvious that as the valve 29 is opened, this valve being preferably operated by a spring-pressedpush button or the like, the compressed air will cause the sleeve or piston 13 to be moved longitudinally rel atively to the bushings, thus causing the aux iliary blades to be swung into operative position to hold the device firmly in place until the bleeding has been done, after which the l device may be withdrawn, causing the aux iliary blades to be swung inwardly and slid ing the sleeve forwardly, so that said auxiliaryblades lie substantially parallel to the y longitudinal axis of the device.

it, valve v27 may be arranged within the casing 21 adjacent to the rear end thereof to control the suction through the device, said lvalve being operated by a handle 28 in any desirable manner.

It is extremely important that all the bleeding be done at the fastest possible rate so as to avoid all clotting, and hence it is necessary that the suction be maintained uni form'ly high and constant without dropping. 'In order to accomplish this desired result I have provided a main vacuum tank 31, of any suitable capacity, and below this tank I arrange a secondary-vacuum tank of some what smaller capacity. A pipe 33 serves to lead from the interior of the tank 31 into the interior of the tank 32, through the top of the latter. A pump 34 is arranged so as to have its inlet side communicate with the tank 31 for creating a vacuum in said tanks, said pump emptying into a compressed air tank 35.

A, hose 36 connects the compressed air tank to the inlet of the valve 29 of the knife, while a flexible hose or pipe 37 leads from the knife into the upper part of the secondary tank A large storage tank 38 is located at. any desired point, and is adapted to receive the blood from the secondary tank, through suitable means. This flow from the secondary tank to the storage tank may be by g 'avity if desired, although it is preferable that it be accelerated by some means, as by the pump 39, which conducts the blood from the lower part of the secondary tank to the storage tank. In ordei` to make the equipment portable so that it may be used as a unit, I prefer to mount the tanks, except the storage tank, and pumps upon the platform 40, the same being pro-- vided with wheels or rollers whereby the saine may be transported from place to place. i

'lilith the equipment just described it will be seen that the secondary vacuum tank will always beniaintained under a substantially uniform and constant vacuum, inasniueh as the blood in this tank never rises above the tank but is withdrawn by the puinp' 39. The main vacuum tank tends to provide a reservoir or surplus from which the vacuum in the tank is maintained. In this manner the blood from the animal will be withdrawn quickly and uniformly through the knife and hose 37, into the secoiidary tank, from whence it is immediately withdrawn into the storage tank.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact forni, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned, except as limited by the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i Y 1. An apparatus for slaughtering animals, comprising` a vacuum tank, a compressed air tank, a pump arranged intermediate said tanks so as to produce a vacuum in one and compress air into the other, a hollow conduit leading from the compressed air tank and adapted to be connected to a slaughtering tool for delivering air thereto and operating the latter, and a second conduit leading from the vacuum tank and adapted to be connected to the tool for withdrawing liquid therethrough.

2. In a slaughtering device, a hollow bushing, a collar movable longitudinally thereon, a hollow knife blade carried at the forward end of said bushing and having openings through the wall thereof substantially as closely adjacent the piercing tip thereof as possible, leading into the hollow interior, and auxiliary blades movable radially when the collar is moved longitudinally.

A slaughtering device of the kind described, comprising a tapered hollow knife blade substantially triangular in radial crosssection and provided with a series of openthrough the side walls thereof, said openings communicating with the interior of said blade, a bushing connected at one end to said blade and also provided with continuously open openings through its peripheral wall, said last-inentioned openings acting in conjunction wit-h said first-mentioned openings when the device is in its operative position of slaughtering, to thereby With draw substantially all of the blood from the lill animal very rapidly, without drawing the flesh tl'irough said openings, a casing encircling said bushing and fired thereto, means movable radially of said bushing for holding the. knife blade in place when slaughtering, and means movable relatively to the casing and bushing for operating said last-mentioned means.

4i. A slaughtering device the kind described, comprising a tapered hollow knife having openings through the wall thereof closely adjacent the tip thereof, a bushing conneted to said knife, holding blades carried by s :d bushing to engage in the flesh of the animal being slaughtered, al collar provided rearwardly of said knife at a distance such that the tifo of the knife will be ystopped inst after it has been inserted a sufficient distance so as to pierce the inner arteries ofthe neck of the animal, and a valve for controlling,compressed air adapted to be conducted to the device for operating the blades.

V5, ln a device of the kind described and in combination, a tapered hollow knife having openings through the wall thereof adjacent the tip thereof, abushing connected at one end to said. knife and provided with auxiliary openings therethrough closely adjacent said first-mentioned openings, said limshing adapted to have suction means communicating therenuth, blades carried by said bushing vso as to swing radially relatively vthereto and in the flesh ofthe animal being slaughtered, links connecting said bushing to said blades, so that Vthe longitudinal movement of the bushing will swing said blades radially, and means vfor conducting compressed air to said bushing so as to actuate theV same. l

6. ln ay device of the kind described and j combination, a tapered hollow knife having blood-receiving openings through the wall thereof adjacent the tip, a bushing connected tosiid knife and having auxiliary blood-receiving openings through 'the wall thereof closely adjacent the openings in said knife, a sleeve encircling said bushing, blades connected to said sleeve, means connected to said blades whereby longitudinal movement of the sleeve will actuate said blades into ope ative position, the forward end 0f said bushing being tapered so as to enlarge gradually rearwardly, a collar on the sleeve rearwardly of said blades and adapted to snugly engage the outer surface of the neck of the animal being slaughtered, a hollow casinv fixed to said bushing and slidably connected to said sleeve, the rear end of said bushing having an enlarged radial flange thereon, ineans for conducting compressed air into the snace betw en the rear end of said sleeve and said radial flange so as to actuate the sleeve forwardly relatively to the casing, and means for controlling` the vacuum in said device.

In a slaughtering device, a hollow bushhaving openings through its wall adjacent its forward end, a hollow knife blade Vcarried on the forward end of said bushing and having openings through its wall in advance of the openings through the bushing, so that the blood may How through both said sets of openings into the interior of said members, and means for holding said blade within an animal after insertion.

8. ln a slaughigering device, a bushing havireg openings laterally therethrough, and a h ow knife blade at the `forward end of said bushing and having elongated openings ierethrough, to thereby minimize the tendency of the flesh being drawn inwardly through said openings during the slaughteroperation, all of said openings co-operating during said slaughtering operation.

9. ln a slaughtering device, a bushing having adial openings therethrough7 and a hollow knife blade carried thereb and having openings through the wall tiereof intermediate the tip and the rear of the cutting portion of said blade, all of said openings co-operating simultaneously.

EWALD KREFT. 

